Weekly Roundup: Moonstone Nutrition launches gummy targeting kidney stones, Taiyo’s MorActive lands certification

09 Sep 2022 --- This week in nutrition news, in Japan, BGG expanded ApplePhenon health claims with a functional claim for abdominal fat. MorActive, Taiyo’s novel moringa seed extract and Sunfiber combination, has received Informed Ingredient certification. Meanwhile, Moonstone Nutrition, a US-based start-up, has added Stone Stopper + Immunity gummy to its line of kidney health products.

In brief: Business news
Reig Jofre’s brand Forté Pharma unveiled an e-commerce platform through the business-to-consumer platform Tmall in China. Forté Pharma specializes in food supplements to meet the primary consumer needs in prevention and health care. It will launch products in the beauty, weight control and energy categories in the Chinese market. Reig Jofre aims to develop the new online channels as part of Forté Pharma’s growth strategy, which is expected to strengthen its position in China and to have e-commerce exceed 20% of its global sales within three years. With an estimated growth of approximately 14% annually until 2023, the Chinese supplement market will be almost twice the size of the European market.

Moonstone Nutrition’s Stone Stopper gummy is pegged as “the world’s first” alkali citrate gummy that prevents kidney stones.In brief: Accreditation and certification
BGG World obtained a health claim for its ApplePhenon product in Japan’s Foods with Functional Claims category. ApplePhenon has been clinically validated for weight management, cardiovascular health support, glucose management, skin health and skin liver spots, dental care, respiratory support, sports and endurance. The Consumer Affairs Agency has authorized the use of 600 mg per day of ApplePhenon under this regulation for people with a relatively high body mass index. Health claims in food labeling are approved by local authorities and permitted on food products or dietary supplements to demonstrate that a food or food component may reduce the risk of a disease or health-related condition.

Taiyo’s moringa seed extract and Sunfiber combination, MorActive, received Informed Ingredient certification. Informed Ingredient certifies that raw materials and ingredients have been tested for the presence of banned substances in sports nutrition products. MorActive is free of impurities and substances prohibited in sports nutrition products, according to this certification. It is also a first step toward assisting customers in complying with Amazon’s dietary supplement safety documentation. MorActive has been shown in clinical trials to significantly affect lower back pain at a very low dose. Furthermore, Taiyo’s Sunfiber serves as the nutritional carrier, eliminating the need for maltodextrin.

In brief: Launches and releases
Fenix Health Science introduced its MicroVita Probiotic Kit, which includes the MicroVita Focus and MicroVita Mood. The two products support focus, mood and emotional regulation and contain specific probiotic strains in doses that have been clinically verified. According to the company, clinical evidence supports the control of dopamine (for improved focus), serotonin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. The six probiotic strains in MicroVita Focus, including PS128 (Lactobacillus Plantarum), have been shown in studies to increase attention spans and decrease hyperactivity significantly. Meanwhile, the six probiotic strains in MicroVita Mood have been clinically shown to improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

With an estimated growth of approximately 14% annually until 2023, the Chinese supplement market will soon be almost twice the size of the European market.The D2Fit Nutrition brand – a targeted line of sports nutrition supplements – was developed by Jessica Bass James, an industry fitness icon who founded the Dance2Fit program, which assists individuals, particularly women, in staying fit as part of a large but close-knit online and in-person community. The D2Fit Nutrition brand aims to fill the nutrient gap consumers may face from a busy schedule. The brand features a 4in1 Kick Start that aids women in maintaining a healthy metabolism, burning fat and increasing energy. The Multi Collagen Pre Workout improves their focus and endurance while strengthening hair, skin and nails. It is available in sour gummy and fruit punch flavors.

Moonstone Nutrition, a US-based startup, has added Stone Stopper + Immunity gummy to its line of kidney health products. The Stone Stopper gummy contains clinically significant levels of alkali citrate and is pegged as the “first alkali citrate gummy in the world” to prevent kidney stones. It has been scientifically proven that Moonstone Stone Stopper, created by renowned kidney stone doctors, slows the development of kidney stones. In the US, severe kidney stones affect about 33 million people and chronic kidney disease affects 49 million people. The product comes in powder form for ready-to-mix beverages, gummies and supplement capsules.

The MicroVita Focus and MicroVita Mood may support focus, mood and emotional regulation.In brief: Research and studies
US-based Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute’s research revealed a connection between the gut and the brain that makes people have an appetite for fatty foods. The scientists studied mice and discovered that fat entering the intestines causes a signal to be sent. This signal, which travels along nerves to the brain, stimulates the desire for fatty foods. The study suggests that interfering with this gut-brain connection could help to prevent unhealthy choices and address the growing global health crisis caused by overeating. To assess if the desire for fatty foods was triggered in the brain, the researchers measured brain activity in mice while feeding them fat. The neurons in the brainstem’s caudal nucleus of the solitary tract perked up. When mice had fat in their intestines, neurons in the vagus nerve, which connects the gut to the brain, twittered with activity.

A North Carolina University study found that elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in participants’ blood were linked to higher total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol. They also discovered that, compared to the other chemicals, the legacy PFAS chemicals PFOS and PFNA were most strongly associated with elevated cholesterol and that the effects were more pronounced in older people. The blood samples were collected from 344 participants (289 adults and 55 children) throughout two sampling campaigns in November 2017 and May 2018. The researchers discovered that the relationship between the legacy PFAS chemicals PFOS and PFOA and cholesterol grew with age and was strongest in participants aged 63 and up. There were no correlations between chemical exposure and cholesterol in participants under 18.

By Nicole Kerr